Consultation on whether electronic wills should be allowed in light of technological and societal developments, ensuring the law remains fit for purpose. Views sought on whether marriage or a civil partnership should continue to revoke a will, given concerns about predatory marriage and vulnerable people. Technological advancements and the effects of COVID-19 restrictions have made … Read more >
First-ever collaboration between Law Commission and the Criminal Law Reform Now Network to produce a scoping study looking into possible project on international cooperation in criminal law. Work will commence in autumn 2023, with publication of findings expected in 2024. In a new initiative, the Law Commission of England and Wales has invited the Criminal … Read more >
Law Commission publishes final recommendations to update the Arbitration Act 1996 and puts forward draft legislation. Commission advocates for maintaining the Act’s core principles while introducing improvements to help strengthen the UK’s position as a foremost destination for arbitration. Improvements include measures to strengthen arbitrator immunity, improve the efficiency of cases, and clarify powers of … Read more >
Unique opportunity to join the Law Commission’s Board for a year. Aspiring applicants will gain insight into the Commission’s crucial work of making the law simpler and fairer for everyone. Applications for next year’s programme open today (Monday 4th September 2023). Law Commission joint Chief Executives, Joanna Otterburn and Stephanie Hack said: “As a consultative … Read more >
The Government has recently published its regular report on the implementation of Law Commission proposals from January 2018 to January 2023. The Law Commission has produced more than 350 sets of law reform recommendations since its creation in 1965, delivering practical benefits to the public, businesses, the third sector and the public sector. In this … Read more >
On Thursday 27 July, the Law Commission of England and Wales is publishing a paper asking for views on whether and how the law governing appeals for criminal cases should be reformed. The appeals process allows individuals to challenge their conviction or sentence if they disagree with the verdict or penalty. In this way, … Read more >
On Thursday 20 July, the Law Commission’s recommendations on electronic trade documents became law as the Electronic Trade Documents Act 2023 secured royal assent. The Act, which is based very closely on a draft Bill published by the Law Commission in March 2022, allows for the legal recognition of trade documents such as bills of … Read more >
On Tuesday 11 July, the Law Commission’s recommendations on espionage became law as the National Security Act secured Royal Assent. The Act, which includes several Law Commission recommendations set out in the Protection of Official Data report, aims to modernise counter-espionage laws and address evolving national security threats. It was first introduced in the … Read more >
The Government has today announced the appointment of Sir Peter Fraser as the new Chair of the Law Commission of England and Wales. Sir Peter will play a pivotal role in overseeing the Commission’s law reform and making key strategic decisions. Alongside the other Commissioners, he will be instrumental in leading the Commission’s work to … Read more >
The Law Commission of England and Wales has today published recommendations for reform and development of the law relating to digital assets. Digital assets – which include crypto-tokens (sometimes referred to as ‘cryptocurrencies’) and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) – are used for an increasing variety of purposes in modern society, such as for investment, for making … Read more >